Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced a revised guideline for recycling used disposable diapers on April 6, 2026. It brings together information for municipalities considering separate collection, sterilisation and subsequent material recycling or heat recovery, excluding electricity generation from waste treatment. The ministry links the growing waste stream to population ageing and increased adult-diaper use, while noting that most used diapers are currently incinerated.
Used disposable diapers represented 5.5% of municipal waste in fiscal 2023. The ministry projects that share will rise to 6.6–7.1% in fiscal 2030 and 7.7–12.7% in fiscal 2050. The revision adds information on greenhouse-gas reductions, approaches to present and future costs, and diaper-waste volume simulations through 2050 that municipalities can use. The original guideline was prepared in fiscal 2019; a review committee began considering the update in October 2025. The government aims for 150 municipalities to be implementing or considering recycling and related recovery by fiscal 2030. The ministry plans further information provision and support for municipalities and businesses to help achieve that target.